


To Have A Name

by ArcherAuthor



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, F/M, M/M, Multi, Robot AU, stuckony - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-05-01 02:15:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14510322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcherAuthor/pseuds/ArcherAuthor
Summary: “A name?” Iron Man echoed. Didn’t he have a name? No, now that he thought about it. He had a title, sure, but not a name. “Any suggestions Barnes?”Bucky pursed his lips in thought. “I always thought, growin’ up that I’d name my kid Anthony, after my uncle. But, I don’t really think I’ll be having kids this time ‘round.” He said, shrugging and diverting his gaze down to the glittering snow covered ground. “So, if you’re looking’ for suggestions, mine is Anthony.”“Why can’t I just go by Iron Man?” he asked, sounding almost hurt.“You can!” Bucky amended. “I just think, all good men deserve a name, don’t they?”“But I’m not a man.” Iron Man argued.“And I’m not a mountain climber, yet here we are.” Bucky countered with a small smug smirk and a gesture towards the alps that lined the horizon.Iron Man seemed to actually accept Bucky’s statement, digesting it thoroughly. “You’re not wrong I suppose.”“Just think about it,” Bucky said.'What if Iron Man was actually a robot?' asked no one ever! Well boy do I have the AU for you! :)





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So this first "chapter" is definitely short, my apologies but I just didn't like how it felt when I carried it on past this. Please let me know what you think!
> 
> Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon!

He’d been built with one purpose; protect and serve. Too bad they built him a little too well for just that. Well, in the beginning perhaps not, but by model four the personality had truly started to develop. He could still recall Howard’s face the first time he’d talked back.

“How did the mission go?” the man’s face was impassive as he stared down at the small device he was working on, not even acknowledging him.

“Oh it was just lovely.” The words were undercut with a tone of sarcasm, which grabbed Howard’s attention quicker than a slap to the face ever could have.

Howard studied him, his eyebrows raised and his mouth hanging open just slightly. “What… What was that?”

“The mission went great,” he corrected swiftly, shrugging with a soft whir of his gears.

Howard nodded, as though he was still processing what had just happened. “Write down a summarization of it and have it on my desk by midnight tonight. Am I understood Iron Man?”

“I understand Sir.”

He’d only gone on solo missions for most of his early employment, but after a new war hero emerged that all changed. They called him Captain America. His real name was Steve Rogers and he’d taken out an entire Hydra camp on his own. Or at least that’s what the papers said. Iron Man did his research, but one only had so many resources in the 40s.

Howard had approached him one early morning in August to tell him he’d be going on a mission with the Howling Commandos. He was to meet Steve Rogers and the rest of the team that same day. He spent the entire day preparing himself for it. To say the least, no one there got what they expected.

“You’re telling’ me he’s a robot? An actual real life robot?”

“Yes Buck, how many times do I have to repeat it?” Steve groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose, blatantly growing annoyed.

“Probably until he sees it for himself,” Morita barked, a laugh tailing his words.

Bucky scoffed and crossed his arms, feigning offense.

“Oh get over yourself,” Steve said, shaking his head amusedly. “I promise you he’s an actual, real life rob--”

“Captain Steve Rogers?” came the question, cutting Steve himself off. The voice was tinny and seemed to have a clicking sound below the words.

“You must be Iron Man…?” Steve said, his eyebrows knitted together in a confused expression as he looked at the metallic man that had just walked into the tent.

“That is what they call me,” he said lightheartedly.

Bucky had spun to face the robot, eyes wide as he stared at the man--creation? “Holy shit, you’re an actual robot!”

* * *

 

“Well I would hope so or otherwise I’ve just been really lucky my entire life.” Iron Man said, sounding mildly amused.

“Excuse him,” Steve said, stepping between Iron Man and Bucky. He extended a hand to the robot in the offer of a handshake. He was wearing his professional smile, something that somehow managed to make one feel important and needed and yet miniscule at the same time. “He’s lived a sheltered life.”

“Hey!”

Steve’s smile briefly flickered into amusement.

“It’s okay, really. I get it all the time.”

The entire troop of men seemed absolutely enamored by Iron Man, watching his every move as if he were some sort of sideshow at a carnival. And things continued on like that for a long time. It wasn’t until around their first deployment to a snowy mountain region that Iron Man actually found himself bonding with the entire group. That had also been around when he stopped thinking of himself as Iron Man.

* * *

 

“So are you only ever called Iron Man?” Bucky asked as he watched the robot trudge through the snow as he worked with the rest of the Commandos to set up their camp for the night. Bucky, as typical had pitched their intent, chosen his spot inside of it and decided he had done his part.

Iron Man looked up from where he’d been looking through their rations. “Yes. Do you have an issue with that?”

“No, of course not!” Bucky held his hands up, palms out in a surrender. “I’m just thinking… doesn’t it bother you?”

“Why would it?”

“I don’ know. Don’t you want a name or something?” Bucky asked, raising a curious eyebrow at the metallic man.

“A name?” Iron Man echoed. Didn’t he have a name? No, now that he thought about it. He had a title, sure, but not a name. “Any suggestions Barnes?”

Bucky pursed his lips in thought. “I always thought, growin’ up that I’d name my kid Anthony, after my uncle. But, I don’t really think I’ll be having kids this time ‘round.” He said, shrugging and diverting his gaze down to the glittering snow covered ground. “So, if you’re looking’ for suggestions, mine is Anthony.”

“Why can’t I just go by Iron Man?” he asked, sounding almost hurt.

“You can!” Bucky amended. “I just think, all good men deserve a name, don’t they?”

“But I’m not a man.” Iron Man argued.

“And I’m not a mountain climber, yet here we are.” Bucky countered with a small smug smirk and a gesture towards the alps that lined the horizon.

Iron Man seemed to actually accept Bucky’s statement, digesting it thoroughly. “You’re not wrong I suppose.”

“Just think about it,” Bucky said.

Iron Man did in fact think about it. He spent a good long time considering the proposition of having a name, an actual person’s name. He also thought about other names, names like Benjamin, Daniel, and even Archibald. In the end Anthony was the only one he found himself truly liking. From what he could put together it meant ‘praiseworthy,’ which he certainly felt was applicable. It was only a day or two later when he’d come to a decision. He had a lot of free time when on the road like they were at the moment and there wasn’t much else to think about.

“Say Iron Man--”

“It’s Tony.”

“What?”

“Tony. Short for Anthony. That’s what I go by now.”

Bucky pursed his lips before smiling. “Okay Tony.”


	2. the reunion

Steve wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting when he saw Tony again for the first time. Maybe surprise, or shock, or perhaps even happiness. But he felt none of those things. Steve had never been great with his words. He was smart, sure, and he knew some big words, but his vocabulary was just never that expansive. So he didn’t have a word for when he Tony after waking up from the ice.

It wasn’t unlike when he first saw Peggy again. He knew she was older, that she was a senior now, bedridden and out of it more often than not, but he supposed his brain just hadn’t been ready. Because yes, that was her face, and those were her eyes, and that was her voice, but none of it seemed right. She’d seen seventy years he’d never get. She’d lived and loved and laughed and he’d laid frozen in ice, waiting for the world to find him. He knew that he should feel happy she was still around at all, but part of him, a part he shoved away and hid in the back of his mind until he was home alone and could cry himself to sleep, felt angry. He felt hurt and lost, and left behind.

Steve had found that those were becoming common feelings for him though. So, when he saw Tony for the first time, he did not feel unlike how he felt when he saw Peggy. He felt hollow and slow and a little upset, but mostly, he felt something he couldn’t put a word to.

There, across the room, was one of the only relics from his past life that wasn’t locked away by the bounds of history. Iron Man stood among a group of people dressed in formal clothing and suddenly Steve found himself wondering if he should have worn something else. The formal military garb just felt tacky now and yet again, he couldn’t say why.

Tony had changed. His colors were brighter and his design was sleeker. He moved more fluidly and he didn’t make as much noise. But two things remained the same. The glow from his chest stood out brightly from the circle of people, identifying him as different from them, even if the armor hadn’t. And then there was his voice. Steve hadn’t caught it till he’d gotten closer, but sure enough, Tony sounded just as he had seventy years, if not a little easier on the ears.

He held his cap between his hands as he approached, feeling as nervous as he had when he’d asked Sarah Josling to the fair the summer of his fifth grade year. Tony may not have had eyes, or even a face for that matter, but it was clear when he’d spotted Steve. They both had known the other would be there; it had been arranged as such, but somehow both seemed caught off-guard. Tony’s shoulders rose just slightly, his words trailing off into a silent murmur as the men around him noticed and slightly dispersed to allow Steve access to the clique.

“Iron man,” Steve greeted in a soft but official tone. He squared his shoulders the way he’d been doing since he was six and had to show the neighborhood bullies who was boss--though he never seemed to get the message across.

Tony would have gasped had he been able to breathe. The light emitting from his helmet shone brighter for a mere few seconds. “Captain,” he answered in return. “I--you’re looking well.”

“I could say the same to you,” Steve said and he smiled, a genuine smile. The last time he’d felt his face move that way was when he saw Peggy finally realize who’d come to visit her.

“Do you,” Tony started and then paused, clearly unsure of what societal conventions he might break. “Would you like to catch up?”

“I’d love that,” and his voice was as smooth as butter as he answered, his smile warm and true.

Tony didn’t if his coding allowed for him to feel as though he was blushing, but he felt as though he was blushing. “If you gentlemen will excuse me.” He said to the men around him and then without waiting for their responses he stepped towards Steve and gestured for the soldier to walk with him.

Steve and Tony did catch up. In fact they spent the rest of the evening absorbed in each other. Tony told Steve of how Howard had tried to leave him Stark Industries but the state ruled that he, as an AI and not a human, should not be allowed to take the control of a company. He had briefly mentioned how they had also tried to attach him to Stark Industries, arguing that he was property, and not his own person, but he hadn’t to elaborate and Steve hadn’t pushed.

The company had been handed over to Obadiah Stane with provision from Tony, seeing as he had become the head of the technological advancements department and SI practically lived and breathed on his ability to put out new weapons. And things would have carried on that way had Obie not tried to sell him as a weapon to a foreign government. Things had “gotten out of hand” as Tony put it, but in the end the dust settled and life carried on.

He had said that now SI was run by one Virginia “Pepper” Potts, as the state still hadn’t changed their minds, but at that point he was more or less over it. He had explained to Steve that they now worked in bettering the world through creating everything but weapons. He had seemed very proud.

Steve on the other hand, felt he didn’t have much to say. He took a seventy year nap, woke up and started working for an organization created by his past crush, and then he’d shown up for Tony’s gala without much to say about anything else. Well, basically.

He waited till they’d reached somewhere that seemed secure enough and then he told Tony about the one thing he’d been waiting to tell him about the entire time; the Avengers Initiative.

Tony didn’t believe him at first. He’d said no, that no one would trust him for something like that.

“Fury wrote “Iron Man, yes,” himself.” Steve insisted. “They want you Tony.”

“They want Iron Man.” Tony hissed, his sigh sounding metallic and having a clicking noise to it.

“They’re the same person,” Steve refuted with a huff through his nose and Tony could have smiled. This was the same stubborn man from the forties.

A memory hit him suddenly and he lost himself in the past briefly.

“I’m expendable.”

“Tony I swear to god, if you claim your life to mean less than ours one more time I’ll shove my boot up where the sun don’t shine.”

Tony laughed, despite the tension at his words from only moments ago. It eased the mood and Bucky smiled even though he was pretending to be angry.

 

“I’m serious Tony. You’re not a toy we can just throw away and get a new one of.” Steve said, clearly not having picked up on the robot’s attempt to lighten the mood--that or he was pointedly ignoring it.

Tony would have rolled his eyes if he could have. “I never said I was, but the fact is, my consciousness can be transferred to a new body as long as I have the proper connections made available.”

 

“And what if you don’t?” Steve hissed sharply, something flickering behind his gaze. Tony felt inclined to call it concern but he didn’t want to get his hopes up.

 

“Iron Man can always be replicated,” Tony said in a flat tone, sounding as though he was repeating a programmed phrase.

Steve fell silent for a moment and he dropped his eyes downwards, his lips pulled taught. When he looked up again a cleft had formed between his brows and he held a stubborn expression. “But can Tony?”

“Tony is what makes Iron Man, Iron Man.” Steve sounded put-out. “Maybe it didn’t start out that way, but whether you like it or not Tony, you are Iron Man through-and-through; just as much as you are Tony.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhhhhhhh this was short, but get fucked.  
> follow me on tumblr @autisitcbuckybarnes


	3. to sleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wasn't happy with how this one turned out at all, except for the ending, but i really needed to post something, so here you ago. once again it's not very long, im sorry.

The Battle of New York had proven to be a good thing, Steve thought. Well no, it hadn’t been a good thing, but it had lead to good things. Like the Stark Tower becoming the new homebase for the Avengers, or Tony and Steve getting to know each other again.

 

Really, they got along great. Steve couldn’t have been happier--or at least that’s what he said. He could be happier. He didn’t know why he felt the way he did, he just knew he did. He didn’t feel happy at all. It hadn’t been great before the battle, but afterwards it had only gotten worse. Before, at least, he could draw. He’d sit in somewhere in the city, during the break he’d take half-way through his morning run, and he’d pull out his sketchbook, and he’d people watch, and he’d draw.

 

Now though? Now, he couldn’t find the drive. The only thing he did that he’d enjoyed beforehand was exercising. A wonderful plus side of living in the Stark Tower was the amazing gym he had. It was absolutely expansive. During one of his first days in the building he’d spent around seven hours in the gym. Eventually he had to stop. He’d sat down on one of the plush mats and sighed, looking down at the bruised knuckles he’d neglected to wrap.

“Finished?”

 

Steve startled, looking up quickly to see Tony standing a few feet away. His eyes glowing their effortless blue. He exhaled tiredly and looked back down.

“I didn’t hear you come in,” he responded softly as he lifted his gaze back up to Tony, cocking his head a little to one side.

Tony nodded back and crossed his arms. “Good, that was my intention. I’m working on my stealth mode. Glad to know it worked.”

 

Steve stood himself up and brushed off some imaginary dust from his white shirt. He rubbed his cheek disdainfully, scowling as he felt a growing stubble. He’d need to shave soon.

“Yeah, well you spooked me.” He sighed and stretched his arms out over his head, cracking his neck as he did so.

“Go to sleep Steve,” Tony said flatly, and despite his featureless face his expression was crystal clear. It was one of a tired sorrow. It sounded how Steve felt inside. Broken. Lost. Searching. Steve didn’t like it.

 

He nodded a little and started towards the door. He had just reached the threshold when he paused. With his hand on the doorframe, his figure squarely blocking the exit, he turned his head, not quite looking at Tony, but not exactly not looking at him. “I think you could use some rest too.”

“That’s ridiculous Steve, you of all people should know that I can’t sleep.” Tony said and his voice was almost snappish in tone.

 

“That’s not what I said,” he turned his focus forwards and left.

 

So yeah, he wasn’t exactly happy. He was tired more often than not, even on the days when he hadn’t done anything. And on the days he did do things he was exhausted. He’d become irritable and angry. Sam had chewed him out one evening after he’d spent the entire day running around the city because it was easier to do that then be in the tower around everyone all day. He’d come back around seven in the evening, sweaty and burnt out, and not in the mood to talk. So when Sam had stopped him in the elevator and asked how he was doing Steve had snapped at him. Sam, however, was not having any of it. He didn’t really yell, but he certainly did raise his voice. Either way, it was a lecture that Steve wouldn’t soon forget.

 

He’d stopped running after that. Not as a whole, but rather just all day. He only ran in the gym. It wasn’t the same as running outside in the crisp morning air, but it was easier to not lose himself when he was in the gym.

 

And so that’s what Steve did with his time. He’d exercise, sleep, eat, exercise, sleep, eat. On occasion he found himself out on a mission for SHIELD. Usually somewhere far away. Those were his favorite times. He could let himself get absorbed and devoted. No more thinking about everything else, about everyone else. He still didn’t feel happy, but at least he didn’t feel stagnant.

 

So when the Avengers Assemble alarm went off Steve was understandably surprised. He, of course, jumped into action. He was suited up in a moment’s notice and headed off. It wasn’t anything spectacular. Certainly no Chituari, but rather a league of robots. It should have been an easy take down. A fight based on tactics, but something went wrong. He couldn’t be certain it had been his fault, but every fiber in his being insisted it was.

 

The first mayday had been from Hawkeye. He’d radioed in, requesting help and medical aid. Apparently he’d been shot down. There had turned out to be more bots in his quadrant than they’d expected. Steve had been the one to tell him to go to that area.

 

Then somehow Banner was set off. They’d told him to hang back. Hulk wasn’t needed. The bots had swarmed the quinjet though, and in the end Bruce couldn’t hold back.

 

The one that truly caught Steve off guard though was from Tony. Iron Man had called in as in danger and after that Steve wasn’t sure what was said.

 

He abandoned his post and ran as quickly as he could to where Tony was calling distress from. He got there faster than he honestly thought he could. Perhaps all that running was paying off. The sight he saw when he came upon Tony was not one he ever wanted to see.

 

In the middle of the rubble of a caved in roof was Tony. The light was shining through the broken ceiling, the new dust still drifting about. It almost could have been pretty. Among the yellow sunlight was a fading blue glow from the chest of Iron Man. As Steve approached, the whir of motors began to quiet, the sound of cement crumbling under his boots nothing more than a distant hum.

 

His mind was utterly and completely devoted to Tony. The blue light emitting from his eyes was flickering in time with the one in his chest. One of the small robots was lodged directly below the arc reactor, part of it crushing the blue circle. It was stuck deep in Tony’s body, wires and other mechanical parts jutting out in what looked like a painful manner if Tony could feel pain.

 

Steve fell to his knees next to Tony, his hands shaking as he reached out towards him. “Iron Man?” he asked softly.

 

“Hey Capsicle,” came the metallic response. There was a more tinny sound now, like somehow the injury had damaged his speaking ability.

 

Steve shook his head a little and grabbed onto the bot, trying to tug it out of Tony’s torso. But before he could dislodge the robot he found Tony’s hands resting over his own, stilling his motions.

 

“Steve,” Tony said softly. He paused then, as if taking a breath he didn’t need. “Don’t.”

“But Tony!--” Steve started only to be cut off again.

 

“Just relax old man,” Tony said and there was a smiling lilt to his mechanical words. “I’m only gonna’ take a quick nap. Rest up a bit.”

 

It was cinematic in it’s irony as the light then faded completely, literally. Tony’s chest fell dark as did his eyes. He really did look like he was sleeping, if only Steve didn’t know better.

 

Tony should have been fine. Should have returned to the tower without a scratch, and yet…

 

Steve hung his head. He was the team leader, he should have kept his head in the game. He cursed himself softly as one phrase repeated in his mind over and over.

 

“That’s ridiculous Steve, you of all people should know that I can’t sleep.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayyyyye you can find me at autisitcbuckybarnes on tumblr

**Author's Note:**

> You can hit me up with questions and ideas on my tumblr @autisitcbuckybarnes (yes I'm aware that is spelled incorrectly.)  
> Pls comment below!
> 
> Oh also, major credit to slightly_salty_ace as this fic is heavily inspired by a rp I did with them.


End file.
